Pamela Dirr
Bio
I like to write based on my personal experiences. It helps me clear my mind. We all go through things in life. Good things. Not so good things. My experiences might also help other people with things that they might be going through.
Stories (58)
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2019 YEAR IN REVIEW
I had a miserable 2019. Parts of it were good, but I had many stressful and trying times throughout the year. Thank goodness for my true friends who stuck by me through all of it. I will never be able to thank them enough for all that they did for me in 2019.
By Pamela Dirr6 years ago in Motivation
Why I Work Multiple Jobs
I live in Northern New Jersey. I was raised in a small town in Bergen County, NJ. Everything is super expensive here. You can’t live comfortably unless you’re making six figures. I’m lucky to be making five figures with three jobs. Yes, you read that correctly, I work THREE jobs. PLUS I’m trying to get a small side business going. And it’s not like I spend my money foolishly either. Actually, I hate spending money. I don’t buy anything unless I absolutely have to. My main bills are rent, car payment, car insurance, cell phone, PSE&G, water bill, and Netflix. Yes, I have Netflix. I have neither cable nor WiFi. I have unlimited data on my cell phone and use it has a hotspot to connect my cell phone to my iPad over Bluetooth. I’m not home enough to make good use of a cable plan, so if I feel like watching something, I look on Netflix. Everything in Northern Jersey is expensive; however, I’m reluctant to move out of state. All of the certifications I have are good only in New Jersey. It would be very time consuming and expensive for me to get certifications in another state. I cannot afford to not work. I wouldn’t be able to even afford my car payment if I wasn’t working. So I can’t take the time to get out of state certifications. So instead I stay in New Jersey and I struggle to make ends meet every month. At this point, I’m happy that I can get my bills paid.
By Pamela Dirr6 years ago in Journal
A Message for the Younger Generation
I’m a bicentennial baby. Yes, I was born in 1976. My parents are Army vets. Yes, I said Army vets. I grew up in a caring household. My parents weren’t overly strict, but they also didn’t let me do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. They set boundaries to ensure that we were safe. They taught me morals and values. I had a healthy balance of dependence and independence. I knew that if I wanted any success in life that I would have to work at myself. Nothing was handed to me. My parents taught me how to be responsible for myself and for my actions. If I did something wrong, I had to own up to it. There was no “all inclusion” for things. If we wanted to be a part of something we had to try out for it, or meet certain criteria for it. When I go to work, I know that I have to perform my best if I want to be a good employee. I’ve noticed that things aren’t like that with the younger generation. I’ve noticed myself clashing a lot with the younger adults of today.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
A Day in the Life
No, I am not Kermit the frog. I am just trying to make it in this world as a single female. I feel that I am faced with many inequalities and struggles. I feel like I am constantly trying to prove myself to men. No female should ever have to feel like that. I can do anything that a man can do….. And I have proven that to men time and time again. I have taken on every challenge that men have given me. And I have succeeded. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I should not HAVE to prove myself to ANYONE except for myself. But, I do love seeing the looks on men’s faces when they did not think I could do something.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
New Year. New Me. New Attitude
I usually make New Year’s resolutions. I did not do that this year. Last year opened my eyes to a lot of things. My circle of friends got smaller. I was reminded that I am the only one who is in control of my life. I cannot rely on anyone else to make me happy. I did a lot of thinking last year and I reminded myself that there are things that are never going to change. There are people who will really never care about anyone else except themselves. Those are the people who are manipulative and will do whatever they have to do to make themselves look good and other people look bad. I do not want to associate with people like that. That is not who I am. People did a lot of damage to me last year, and I have spent the past few months trying to get out of a major slump. I am not back to 100 percent yet, but I am definitely doing better than I was 3 or 4 months ago.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
End of the Year Thoughts
As 2018 comes to a close, I look back at all that has occurred. Some good. Some not so good. I don’t want to erase the not so good things from my mind, as they all taught me lessons. I was reminded that people who I thought would always be there for me actually ended up turning their backs on me (figuratively and literally). I was reminded of the people who aren’t happy unless there is some sort of drama in their lives. I learned that people tend to let their lives be controlled by negative people instead of just thinking for themselves.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
Sometimes You Have to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Almost six months ago. That is when I left my full time nursing position in a doctor’s office. I left because it had turned into a hostile work environment. It was making my life miserable and had me second guessing myself as a nurse. A lot has happened since then. I have been struggling financially. Most of the time I do not know if I will be able to eat three meals a day (I have pretty much been eating only one meal about halfway through the day and I have been trying to drink as much water as possible to curb the hunger feeling). Now, don't get me wrong, I have still been working two part time jobs; they just have not been generating enough income to get all of my bills paid every month. I no longer have cable TV. I had to extend my auto loan by two months and I am currently trying to figure out how I am going to make this month's payment. It took me the entire month of September to pay my rent (and I have not paid it yet this month). I have had to wait until they threaten to cancel my car insurance before I pay it (I have had to do the same with my cell phone as well).
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
It's OK to Be Selfish
I’ve never really been a selfish person, until this year. I had always, always, always, put everyone else’s needs before my own. I realized that by doing that, I’ve been unfair to myself. Now, I’m not saying that I don’t care about other people, because I do. All I am saying is that I’ve started caring about myself a little bit more. I’ve noticed that some of those people who I used to “drop everything and run” for aren’t doing the same for me. Why should I continue to put in the same effort for them, if they are no longer going to be there for me? I never used to be like this, and part of me actually feels guilty for putting myself before others, but it’s something that I have to do. I’m the only one who can really make things happen in my life. I’m the only one who will always be there to stick up for and defend myself. No one else can be there for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I’ve been noticing more and more who will be there for me and who won’t. My circle of trust and circle of friends is getting smaller and smaller. I didn’t think I’d be OK with that, but I’m learning to adapt.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Humans
How to Remain Positive When Surrounded by Negativity
Everyone is entitled to happiness. Everyone is also entitled to go through difficult times. But what if people are making your life so miserable that you lose sight of your happiness? That’s when you have to tell yourself that you will overcome it. That’s when you have to tell yourself to think positive and focus on the good things that are in your life—even if other people try to convince you otherwise. It’s difficult, but it can be done. It’s important to remember that those who are criticizing you and trying to bring you down are probably just jealous of you because of all that you have already accomplished. They might be so miserable in their own life, that the only thing they know how to do is insult other people to try to make themselves feel better. But that doesn’t mean that you have to remain miserable.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Motivation
Why It's Okay to Leave a Job That Makes You Unhappy
I believe in job longevity. I also believe in employee rights. Therefore, no matter how long you are at your job for, if you are not treated right, and if you leave work and go home and cry more times than not, then it is time for you to look elsewhere. I did just that on April 29, 2018, after being there for five years. Now I know what you might be thinking: 'You've been there for five years, so why not just deal with it and stay?' I tried that for almost a year. I had hoped that things would get better. They didn't. They got worse. I was miserable. I would cry at least three times a week as I was getting into my car to leave to go home.
By Pamela Dirr7 years ago in Journal
